Car-seal.



J. W. PRINE.

OAR SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1910.

1,003,793. Patented Sept.19, 1911.

UNITED STATES JAY W. PRINE, 0F JAMESTOWN,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO HERBERT CHIVERTON, 0F JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

CAR-SEAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY W. PRI'NE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, county of Chautauqua, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Seals, of

which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to seals for railway cars, packing cases and similar uses; and the object of my improvement is to provide a simple and convenient self-locking seal which may be stamped from one piece of sheet metal and which can not be unsealed or unlocked without destroying the seal; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts as described in this specification and the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank before it is bent up into the car seal. Fig. 2 is a sectional view at line X X in Fig. 5, before the insertion of the locking end of the car seal. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the seal at line Y Y in Fig. 5 after the insertion of the locking end of the car seal. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the car seal in the locked position. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the locking end of the car seal at line Z Z in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the locking end of the car seal. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the car seal unlocked. Fig. 8 is a diagram of the blank showing in dotted lines the points at which the bends are made in forming it into the looking or box shaped end for the car seal.

Similar numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 10 indicates the sheet metal strip which has a slot 11 cut in one end at a spaced distance from the end, and a notch 12 in the center of said end, the lugs 13 each side of notch 12 are curved slightly for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The other end of the car seal is formed in the irregular shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, and the box 14 which forms the locking end of the car seal is formed from this portion by bending, first, at the dotted line a, as

shown in Fig. 8, second, at the dotted line 5, third, at the dotted line a, fourth, at the dotted line d, and fifth at the dotted line 6.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 2,

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

1910. Serial No. 553,097.

This brings it into the form of a box. The end 15 is then bent around the end of the box and its end 17 is inserted within the end of the box. The lug 18 is then bent around the corner thereby holding the piece 15 firmly in place across the end of the box and firmly closing the same. The corner of the box as it comes together is held by the lugs 19 and 20 which bend in opposite directions around the corner of the box thereby locking the sides firmly in position. The tongue 21 is bent in with a downward and inward curve, as shown in section in Fig. 5 before bends a and b are made and laps on to the point 24 of the locking tongue 22 when the box is completed. Tongue 22 when bent at (Z and 6 extends up edgewise into the center of the box shaped casing as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. The top of the tongue 22 is formed on a gradual incline or line of ascent from the side toward open end 23 of box 14, to lead the notched end 12 of the seal into locking engagement by means of slot 11 with tongue 22, lugs 13 each side of notch 12 being curved downward slightly to insure the engagement of notch 12 and slot 11 with the inclined upper edge and point 24 of tongue 22.

In order to lock the car seal the slotted end with the notch 12 and lugs 13 is inserted within the open end 23 of box 14 and the strip 10 being substantially the same width as the interior of box 14 is guided directly to the inclined upper side of tongue 22, the notch 12 seeking the upper side of said tongue. Continued pressure causes the notched end to pass over the point 24 of tongue 22 and beneath the locking tongue 21 until tongue 22 enters slot 11. The downward curve of locking tongue 21 prevents the withdrawal of the slotted end from the box 14 since said slotted end can not work up over point 24.

It is apparent that the tongue 22 standing edgewise through the strip and drawing through the slot 11 forms an exceedingly strong and durable lock and that the seal would have to be destroyed in order to separate the parts of the lock.

Tongues 21 and 22 are both integral with the strip 10 and are bent as above described to perform their offices.

I claim as new:

A car seal comprising a strip of sheet the first tongue to prevent the disengagement of said slotted end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 two subscribing witnesses.

JAY W. PRINE.

said end having a notch in line with said slot and the ends each side of said notch slightly curved, a sidewise extension on the other end of said strip folded to form a boX open at one end, the end of said extension bent upright lengthwise of the center of said box to form an edgewise tongue therein, said tongue having an inclined upper edge to lead into said slot by said notch, and a second tongue on said strip engaging Witnesses:

JOHN J. FRANK, I. A. ELLsWoRTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

